The present invention pertains to siding components for building structures, and, more particularly, pertains to a wall siding system for simulating a log wall structure that has notched, interlocking log ends projecting from the corners of the building structure.
Log cabin dwellings have a special place in the American psyche, as they are tangible reminders of a noteworthy pioneer and frontier heritage.
Although only a few tools (long-handled axes, mallets, and wedges) were required in their construction, log cabin dwellings were labor intensive, sturdy structures. The builders of log cabin dwellings typically used three types of logs: round, hewn on both sides, and squared. The logs for each face of the dwelling had to be of relatively the same dimension so that the cracks between the respective logs could be easily chinked (filled) with moss, clay or mud. The ends of the logs were shaped to form either a taper or blunt face. Two opposed, v-shaped notches were cut slightly inward of the ends of each log that formed the wall structure. The v-shaped notches were cut to provide for the interlocking arrangement of the log ends and for tightly fitting together at their corners all of the logs that formed the walls of the log cabin dwelling.
In addition, four thick logs made up the foundation upon which the log cabin walls were then built up in an alternating manner with the interlocking arrangement at the corners of the walls. The logs were generally between 12 and 15 feet long, and as the log cabin walls were built up, openings for doors, windows, and fireplaces were provided and subsequently formed and framed. A second method of constructing the log cabin walls was to forego the shaping of the v-shaped notches at the log ends and simply stack the round logs up from the foundation in an alternating arrangement. This method would create even larger gaps between the stacked logs, and thus required an even greater amount of chinking to fill the gaps between the logs.
While log cabin dwellings were the principal form of dwelling well into the post-Civil war era, today they occupy a small and specialized niche in the residential home construction market. Due to a number of factors including high overall construction costs, the relative difficulty of obtaining high quality choice hardwood, and the requisite specialized carpentry skills necessary for proper log dwelling construction, log cabin homes are generally an option for only those individuals in the upper income brackets.
Therefore, various systems, components, and structural members have been devised to imitate or simulate a log cabin dwelling.
Among the prior art patents which disclose imitation log siding members that engage or interlock along their longitudinal edges are the Mead (U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,358) and the Cornelius (U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,542) patents. For example, Mead discloses simulated convex-shaped log members having one longitudinal edge shaped as an inwardly turned flange and the other longitudinal edge formed into a v-shaped trough thus allowing the inwardly turned flanges of one log member to engage the v-shaped trough of an adjacent log member so that the log members can be secured to each other and then mounted to a vertical wall surface.
Cornelius discloses simulated log members that are arcuate-shaped and include one longitudinal lower edge and an opposite longitudinal receiving slot whereupon the lower edge of one log member fits into the receiving slot of an adjacent log member so that the log members can be coupled together and then mounted to the wall of a structure.
Hoess (U.S. Pat. No. 2,250,764) discloses simulated log members in the form of convex metallic members that interlock to each other by longitudinal flanges for nailing the convex metallic members to wall studding.
Goldade (U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,161) discloses interfitting cylindrical log members wherein each log member has opposed grooves that allow the log members to be interfitted together in order to form the walls of a building structure.
The Grubbs (U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,876), Mizia et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,878), Woolems et at. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,153), and Civelli (U.S. Pat. No. 5,577,357) disclose half log systems or components for simulating log cabin siding.
Grubbs uses convex-shaped, half log cores to simulate a log building. Elongated filler strips are disposed between each half-log core to provide a weather seal and create a continuous log building appearance.
Mizia et al. discloses a simulated half-log having a generally semi-cylindrical foam core, and which is attachable to a vertical wall surface by nailing the half logs to splines which are themselves nailed to the vertical wall surfaces.
Woolems et al. discloses outwardly bowed simulated log planks with each log plank having a rabbet along one long edge and a notch at the opposite long edge so that the planks can be interfitted to each other and then nailed to the building surface.
Civelli discloses half log siding members that are held in place on the wall surface by elongated mounting strips which are fastened to the wall surface.
The Felser (U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,182) and Berge (U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,328) patents each disclose components and systems that simulate log wall siding and log wall end or corner configurations.
Specifically, Felser attaches log blocks to the ends of planks that crisscross as the planks extend past the corner studs of building structures thereby imitating notched log ends.
Berge attaches right and left corner assemblies to the projecting ends of modular planks, and the surfaces at the ends of the modular planks and the corner assemblies are shaped to conform to each other for a tight securement of the corner assemblies to the ends of the modular planks.
Nonetheless, despite the variety of simulated log wall siding components and systems, there remains a need for an imitation or simulated log wall siding system that is easy to install, is adaptable for both indoor and outdoor wall surfaces, and includes end or corner members that provide a notched corner wall appearance.
The present invention comprehends a wall siding system for simulating the appearance of a log wall structure having notched, interlocking ends.
The wall siding system of the present invention includes a plurality of elongated side planks with each side plank having an arched or cambered central portion and opposed longitudinal edges with each longitudinal edge further defined by a flat tongue and a groove both of which are coequal in length with the cambered central portion. Further, each tongue has apertures spaced along the length of the tongue for allowing fasteners to be inserted therethrough so that the side planks can be secured in a side-by-side vertical arrangement on the vertical wall surface. The side planks that are secured adjacent to the corners of each vertical wall surface may include one projecting member that extends outwardly from the cambered portion to facilitate the securement of the end side planks at the corners of adjoining vertical wall surfaces.
In order to simulate the interlocking and notched ends of authentic log planks, the present invention includes cylindrical-shaped end caps that are securable to and straddle the angled (preferably right-angled) corners of interior or exterior walls of any building structure. Each end cap includes a t-shaped tab projecting laterally from the main body portion of the end cap attached to the wall-facing end of the end cap. In a preferred embodiment, this t-shaped tab is offset from the wall-facing end by an extension member that is perpendicular to the wall-facing end. A regular or straight tab projects opposite from and perpendicular to the t-shaped tab; and both the t-shaped tab and the regular tab have apertures for allowing fasteners to be inserted therethrough so that each end cap can be secured to adjoining wall surfaces for straddling the corner of those respective wall surfaces. Thus, as each end cap is secured in turn at the corner of the adjoining wall surfaces, the t-shaped tab of each end cap will be secured to one wall surface while the regular tab will be secured to a spacer element of the adjoining wall surface thereby creating the notched, interlocking and projecting plank ends that simulate the notched and interlocking ends of authentic log planks.
In the preferred embodiment, the wall siding system includes at least two spacer elements, each spacer element is attached to one of adjacent vertical wall surfaces near a corner; a plurality of end caps, each end cap including a cylindrical-shaped main body portion, a cambered exterior end, a wall-facing end, a t-shaped tab attached to the wall-facing end and offset therefrom by an extension member perpendicularly attached to the wall-facing end configured to be secured on the wall next to one of the spacer elements, whereby the spacer is situated underlying the wall-facing end, and a regular tab projecting from the wall-facing end opposite from and perpendicular to the t-shaped tab configured to attach to the other of the spacer elements on the other of the vertical wall surfaces.
The wall siding system also includes elongated starter strips that are attached to the lowermost portion, or sill, of the vertical wall surfaces for providing a starting point for the securement of the side planks to the wall surface. In addition, the wall siding system includes flat starter members having opposed tongue and groove longitudinal edges for insuring that the arrangement of the side planks on each respective wall surface, and the alternating arrangement of end caps, completely covers the requisite surface area of the dwelling or building structure.
Because the end caps are preferably hollow, the interior of each end cap could possibly become a nesting place for birds and animals; this would especially be the case for the end caps secured at the lowest point of each corner of adjacent wall surfaces. Therefore, a trough-shaped corner sealer is secured at the lowest point of each corner for receiving the lowest, or starting, end cap. The corner sealer seals off the starting end cap from the external environment.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a wall siding system that simulates a notched log wall structure using standard construction techniques.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a wall siding system that can be used on both interior and exterior vertical wall surfaces.
Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a wall siding system that can be retrofitted for application to interior or exterior wall surfaces of existing dwellings and buildings as well as adapted for use as the interior or exterior wall surfaces of new dwellings and buildings.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a wall siding system that simulates a notched log wall structure but is more energy efficient than authentic log wall building structures.
The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate the same elements.